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The Irish God Lugh is known as the "bright" or "Shining One".  He is associated with the Sun and agricultural fertility, since his foster mother died from preparing the lands of Ireland for planting.  His festival is in her honor.  He is a God of all skills and champion of the Tuatha De Danaan.

Lughnassadh (Lughnasadh) marks the beginning of the grain harvest.  The entire preparation of grain from seed to harvest parallels the life-in-death and death-in-life aspects of the great Goddess Mother Earth.

In Celtic mythology, a young boy accidentally drinks hazelnuts from the magical cauldron of the Welsh Goddess Cerridwen.  He shape-shifts into a hare.  She shapeshifts into a greyhound and chases him.  He shape-shifts into a grain of wheat, but then Cerridwen, in turn, shape-shifts into a black hen.  She eats the wheat and gives birth to a boy, who becomes a great bard and seer-poet.

The triple Goddess Macha in her warrior aspect often presides over the Lughnassadh festival.

Macha not only presides over battle in war, but also in love.  She is concerned with any kind of conflict and its resolution.  Macha shape-shifts into a crow - a common appearance on both a battlefield and in the cornfields of summer.

The Lughnassadh Ritual

Preparation

At Lughnassadh, the altar is adorned with a white or gold cloth.  The ritual is a celebration of the bounty of the earth.  The ritual area is decorated with corn, fruits and vegetables, baskets of bread, and bunches of summer flowers.  Gold and yellow candles represent the Sun.  Incense should be herbs ruled by the Sun and sacred woods used for a fire.

Ritual Tools

Sword, cauldron with water and hazelnuts, athame, charcoal, incense, matches, peyton, wand, four candles (one each of red, black, white and gold), chalice with spring water, spear, basket of fruit, herbs and grains, cakes

Ritual Place and Time

At Lughnassadh the is at 15.00 degrees

Lughnassadh Ritual

The Priestess casts the circle with the sword and then holds the sword high.

Priestess

To all who are herein, not even for the sake of your beginnings, your mother and father; not even for your love would I harm thee.  But for the sake of Dana, I bring life.  I give love.  I seek sovereignty of Tara.  I enter Tara.  The green land spreads before my eyes and the mast rises from the water.  The great mother gives magic.  The sword of enchantment will bring only honor to those who protect this land.  here is the power of the Sidhe.  Here in this sword is the power of Dana, great and powerful Dana, who brings dreams to life.  I honor you.  I am enchanted by your power and the Otherworld.

The sword is placed into the cauldron of water by the Priestess and presented to the Priest.

Priestess

Here is the magic of the Sidhe, who gives life to this Earth.  The apple is red with fire; the corn is golden with life; the oak is green with light.  All cherish the bright and glorious one.  O! great standing stones, which harbor the powers of life, sing to us of magic bright, as bright as the Sun.

The sword is placed on the altar.  The Priest picks up the wand and holds it high.

Priest

We are the people of the land.  the children of the Tuatha De Danaan.  Cerridwen, the Morrigan, Calliech, the Dagda, all come to this holy Tara.

The wand is placed on the altar.  The Priest picks up the peyton and faces east.

Priest

East ~ I call Cerridwen, bring your power and might.  Come to this Tara.  We welcome you.

South ~ I call the Morrigan, bring your power and might.  Come to this Tara.  We welcome you.

West ~ I call Calliech, bring your power and might.  Come to this Tara.  We welcome you.

North ~ I call the Dagda, bring your power and might.  Come to this Tara.  We welcome you.

The Priestess charges the candles and anoints them with Cerridwen or Lugh oil

Priestess

Lugh, great God of the golden spear, bringer of the harvest, you are many skilled.  bring your light to share with us, cast your golden light upon the sacred Tara.

The priest sprinkles incense on the coals.

Priest

Lugh, your appearance is beauteous to behold.  Your tartan is bright silk, your golden helmet has crystals of the four realms.  You teach us amulets of protection and power.  show to us your golden spear of power.

the Priestess, as she lifts the blade to the sky in both hands, says:

Priestess

I am sovereign here in the name of Cerridwen.  I offer you a throne of power in this Tara.  Welcome.

The Priest picks up the Athame and the Priestess picks up the chalice, holding it up for all to see.

Priestess

The magical music of the Sidhe has heralded the coming of Lugh.  I, sovereign of this Tara, welcome Lugh to this chalice.

The Priest lifts the chalice.

Priest

Lugh, strike this blade with your golden spear that you may enter this sovereign place, Tara.  I draw the golden light of Lugh into this chalice.

The Priest places the blade in the chalice.  The Priestess drinks from the chalice, then hands it to the Priest.  The Priestess then pours the chalice into the cauldron of water and hazelnuts.  The Priest stirs the cauldron with his finger, then places his fingers to the lips three times and tastes the water, and with that the Priestess turns to him.

Priestess

I welcome the chase of balance, flee from this realm, but you shall never be from my reach.

The Priest walks away from the Priestess around the circle.

Priestess

Cerridwen, greyhound, chase the hare, with golden light this truth will bear the balance of Goddess might eclipse of dark and fair, the never-ending race, the circle end to end.  Sun, Moon, face-to-face, shape-shift, blend and bend, the Faery faith doth trace.

The Priest says as he walks:

The Sidhe, sing to me of cauldrons deep and tales that end in honour.

Priestess

I am in place of the Goddess of transformation.  And I call all powers of good to this earth.  I thank the powers of the cauldron and the spear for the bounty we see.

The Priestess picks up the wand and touches the basket.

Priestess.

I speak as Priestess to charge these herbs, fruits and grains, blessed are they, blessed are the grounds from which they grow.  We ask that all people of the Earth partake of this bounty.  Great as the power to help seed, grow and feed the Earth and its animals.

Coven

Blessed is Lugh, blessed is Cerridwen, Blessed are the Sidhe.

The Priest and Priestess together bless the cakes and pass them to all in the circle.

Priest and Priestess

These cakes are the power and the spirit of the ancient ones.

After the cakes are finished, oils are passed around the circle, and all anoint themselves on their foreheads, wrists and back of the neck.

The Priestess raises the spear above her head, and everyone comes to attention.

Priest and Priestess

We raise the cone of power.

All lift their hands to the sky and kneel to touch the ground.  The Priest releases the quarters.

Priest

North ~ Powerful Dagda, I bid thee farewell, come again

West ~ Powerful Calliech, I bid thee farewell, come again

South ~ Powerful Morrigan, I bid thee farewell, come again

East ~ Powerful Cerridwen, I bid thee farewell, come again.

The Priestess releases the circle.  The coven are invited to sip water from the cauldron, and the cakes left are given as gifts to the woods.  The water is kept in a sacred space.

(Ritual from "Celebrate the Earth" by Laurie Cabot)

Recipes

Cerridwen Oil

1 dram hazelnut oil
1 dram fir oil
1 dram elder oil

Talesin Oil

2 drams hazelnut oil
1 pebble from the base of a standing stone
pinch bee pollen
1 tiny feather
1 dram blackthorn oil

Lugh Oil

1 piece gold
1 dram heliotrope oil
1 dram sunflower oil
1 citrine stone

Macha Oil

1 dram grapeseed oil
1 small piece obsidian
1 dram corn oil
1 piece crow feather

All of the above oils should be warmed on very low heat in an enamel pan.  Remove from heat when warmed and let cool.  Place in magic bottles and jars in the colours of the rainbow.

Lughnassadh Philtre

yarrow
rose
poppy seeds
mushrooms
barley
basil
raspberry leaf
strawberry leaf
mugwort
heliptrope
comfrey
3 drops Macha Oil
2 drops Cerridwen Oil
3 drops Lugh Oil

Use the oils to bind the philtre.  Blend all ingredients and keep with you in a magic bag.  Tie onto a Lughnassadh Witch's cord, and use this philtre in your rituals and spells.

Lughnassadh incense can be found in the incense section.      

 

 

 I have been on one hell of a support kick lately. My friend Vicki got herself a gym membership at Ballys. She has been going for almost 5 months now and she has lost something like 56 pounds. Now when I heard that she was going I was a little sad that I hadn't the money to go as well, but I was very proud of Vicki for all that she had accomplished. But somehow the Universe agreed that I needed to loose some weight, cause out of the blue the money was there for me to join as well. (Nothing like the UNIVERSE saying you have a huge ass now do something about it)!

I still haven't seen any results that can compare to my dear friend. Every week she is loosing 2 pounds or so. However I let her know that I am proud of her, and I give her honest critiques. When she asks me if I can see her result I don't blow smoke up her ass if I don't.  But as of late, every week she looks like a new woman. She is very honest with me as well. She has yet to see any results from me. I hardly see anything myself.  But she is supportive as well, she told me to stop obsessing over the numbers on the scale and to measure myself instead. So I did, and so far I have been going for a month and I have lost 1 inch around the abdomen, 1/2 inch on my arms, 1 inch around my waist, and my thighs I gained an inch (ALL MUSCLE BABY!!! I think). Not as much as I would have liked but it is what it is.  

My friend has a co worker Laura who is constantly pissed that she hasn't lost as much as my friend Vicki. She is truly angry that she hasn't lost anything. But she hardly ever goes to the gym and she is constantly eating the wrong foods. Laura has gotten to the point that she has busted out yelling "I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE" in the office whenever anyone gives Vicki a complement. Vicki has begun to feel bad about the fact that she has lost some much weight (not cool). The messed up part to this is that Vicki in the last month has lost her husband. He has decided to leave her for someone else. So she has been going through a lot of stress and hard ache. Laura knows this and is fed up with people wishing Vicki well. SHE'S A TRUE HARPY!    Even when she knows that not only is she loosing her husband, but her house as well. Laura still can't see that maybe she should have some compassion for Vicki and be selfless for once.

Anyway, I have tried to help Vicki by keeping her going to the gym and working on herself in a positive way (gave her my copy of The Secret). We go everyday except on Friday's. I don't like to workout so much, but I know that Vicki getting out of the house and working out keeps her occupied on her health then on her husband leaving, and loosing her house. We always talk about what she's feeling and I make it a point to keep my ears, and my heart open for her. I try always to see the bright side to her situation and I try to make laughing a huge part of helping her in this time. The unexpected part is that I‘ve begun to notice a side affect for me. Since I too am going to the gym and although I haven't seen the results that I want to see. The results of taking care and supporting my friend through this rough patch is helping me in a spiritual way. I can see the hand of the Devine Goddess guiding me with the right words to help Vicki. I'm crying now L because I went through the same thing that Vicki is going through right now and although my husband didn't leave me for another woman (he almost did), and I was loosing my house as well. I didn't have anyone who was there to help me. So in that way it is different. But since I can relate to a lot of what she is feeling I have noticed this experience is defiantly making our friendship stronger and teaching us how we can overcome a lot, be it weight, Property, and or heartache.

The Goddess gives you the words to help one another and sometime that's all that's needed.  

Remember to help family, friends, and strangers when you can. The good feelings you get are worth it!

 

Blessed be  

 

 

 

 

I guess the Universe wasn't thinking of me at all Well after I stood outside sweating my but off (which is needed) I checked the car 4 times at least. My girlfriend at work says give me your key I'll take a look. Not even a minute goes by and she brings me my glasses and says that they where just under my seat.  WTF I checked there and ran my hand across every inch of that car even in places I knew it couldn't be. So Diana found them for me I think the Goddess Diana just helps out women who are named after her...

 

 

The Universe is a freaky right now. Ok I lost my glasses today. I was leaving the CVS around the corner from my job. I have two pair (prescription) one for the sun and my regular all day kind. So I take off my regular pair and I put on my sun glasses. I have them when I leave the CVS and when I get in the car, I put them on the passenger seat next to me (like I always do). I go to the ATM they are still with me. I park in my spot at work. I reach over for my glasses to put them in my purse and they are nowhere to be found. I get out of the car and look, nothing. I go back to the CVS, nothing. I check the CVS bag just in case they fell in there, and you guessed it, nothing!!! They just f----in vanished. I'm taking it as a sign that I need to be careful and watch my surroundings. Well, now I'm wearing my contacts that I never where and I'm tripping out at how these glasses just disappeared. I've never lost a pair of glasses before.

So what do you think?

 My daughter and I are going to stay in and maybe make a dress or two. She's 10, and has been trying to make her own dresses. She has a good idea of what to do. But I think that she needs to learn how to use the sewing machine to be able to further her ideas along. I'm not that great when it comes to making clothes. However, every now and again I crank out a masterpiece. So far that has been twice.

The reason for the girl's night in is because, lately I have been on a mission to loose some weight and since I've been at the gym 6 days out of the week my daughter is feeling the affects of mommy not being there. So today it's about her and me bonding. I think that it's funny how much she is missing me, and how my son is totally fine without me. I tell ya kids are funny that way. Anyway I'm going to try to make a pretty blouse for this new body I'm working on. If the blouse turns out nice and actually looks good on me, I'll post a picture. If neither happens, this is the way the blouse is supposed to look like.